I have been getting a ton of spam from the several related email addresses, with the "reply to" listing the address "info@menendez2006.com." Apparently they are legitimate emails, soliciting support and donations for one the candidates in the New Jersey U.S. Senate race. I have no idea how my email address was collected, or why. I have never visited the candidate's website, I have never signed up to receive election emails from anyone - even in my own State, and before this, Menendez wasn't even on my radar screen.

First, I flagged it as spam. It didn't stop (I assume because the senders were various names @menendez2006.com), so I tried the unsubscribe link at the bottom of the message. That didn't work either. So I responded with the following message:

STOP SENDING ME THESE EMAILS. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW YOU GOT MY ADDRESS BUT I AM TIRED OF THESE MESSAGES. YOUR OPT OUT LINK DOES NOT WORK. I DO NOT EVEN LIVE IN NEW JERSEY, I AM AN INDEPENDENT AND DON'T APPRECIATE YOUR INSANE SUGGESTIONS ABOUT "STOLEN" ELECTIONS (GET A LIFE YOU LOSER), AND I HATE SPAM. DO NOT EMAIL ME AGAIN.

Well, surprise, surprise. That didn't work either. So today I sent this as a response:

This is my second response to the spam you keep sending to me. The online unsubscribe link does not work. I do not send donations to political candidates and believe there are many more worthwhile places for contributions - how about actual charities? Also I am not a New Jersey resident and I couldn't care less about Bob Menendez. I have no idea how you got my email address but after receiving all these messages I fervently hope his opponent wins in a landslide solely because of this unwanted spam. STOP SENDING ME THESE EMAILS.

But I am not holding my breath.

Today we took the dogs to the vet, stopped at the orchard (again) to get apples, cider, cider donuts, etc., and I did a quick grocery shopping (a much disliked chore that always gets put off). I picked up several bags on Halloween candy in preparation for Tuesday. Tonight we fall behind! Yay! I am never right until we go back to real time. Not that I mind the extra hour of daylight in the evening over the summer, but once the days start getting shorter and it is cooler outside - I find myself oversleeping every morning and can't wait to turn the clocks back.

Two awful stories in today's Freeman. First, this one, about the slap on the wrist given to Frankie's abusers. So people look at you as if you are a monster? Well that's about right, because that's what you are. Second, this one, about the fate of the Catskill Game Farm animals. And the comments on the article make me very sad. People can be just awful. (Also very stupid sounding.)

Our round trip wound up being on Tuesday. I finally finished my book review on Friday night, then I had to get ready for a presentation I was making on Saturday. We were supposed to go to Samsonville that night, but both of us were zombies from our long, tiring week and we were afraid of crashing on the Thruway - so we did something I hate, got up at 5:30 am and left by 6:40 (an hour I rarely see). Although I was flying by the seat of my pants (and exhausted), my presentation went well. On Sunday, after church I went to the NYS Sheep and Wool Festival at the Rhinebeck Fairgrounds with my mother and sister. We got back to Castleton at 11:15 pm on Sunday, and by then I could have slept standing up. Lucky for me, today was a holiday on campus so I got to sleep in. I am now trying to catch up on various work, and get the house into some kind of order.

Still too busy for blogging, but what the heck. I made good progress on the manuscript this weekend, but I have quite a bit to go and as a result the week will be hectic. Yesterday I snuck away for a while and went to get apples, pumpkins, cider donuts, cider and some other wonderful fall-related things at Golden Harvest. On the way back we took the dogs to the town park. Tomorrow or Wednesday we are making a round trip to Samsonville for a brief visit with relatives from Florida. The timing isn't great, but I'll manage somehow.

Busy week of evaluating essays. I have them all done except for the online class. The website is down today because of the snowstorm and power outages in Buffalo! I also had to write the midterm for my Thursday class.

This will be a working weekend - I have a book review due on the 20th, and naturally, I haven't even opened the box with the manuscript yet.

On the 21st, I have to give a presentation on one room schools. That is mostly ready, but I will have to spend a bit of time between now and then on the details.

Thursday Threesome: Fall Harvest Festival

Onesome: Fall-- (ing) into "The Decorating Season"? How about it: do you have your Halloween Tree up and decorated yet? ...or maybe just a plastic pumpkin sitting on the table ? ...something in between? Inquiring minds and all that...

I do have some Halloween decorations that I put on the porch. I don't do it until Halloween, or no more than a few days before. I live in a village where we get quite a few trick or treaters so I like it to be festive for the little kids. But it is only a couple of things, I don't go crazy. I always get a pumpkin.

Twosome: Harvest-- time? What crops are grown in your area (call it fifty miles) that are coming out of the fields this Fall?

This is apple country! In fact, New York State is the second largest producer of apples in the country. (Washington is #1 and Michigan is #3). It is supposed to be a huge crop this year, and the trees are loaded. New York is the #3 producer of grapes, cauliflower, pumpkins, milk, cheese, and maple syrup, and #1 in cabbage and cottage cheese production.

Threesome: Festival-- Do you have a County Fair or Harvest Fest happening in Autumn? ...or do you wait until the sap flows?

The county fairs are in July and August. It has been a couple of years since I have gone, which is a shame, since I really like them. In October there are a lot of harvest festivals. This weekend will be the Goold Farm Apple Festival. It's a fun time, but I probably won't go this year.

Blogger acts up a lot, I think. It often doesn't show my last post, which is what it is doing now. So this post is only to post that post through.

Our trip to NYC yesterday was great! The show was better than expected, dinner was nice, and after we arrived on the train we had a couple of hours to kill, so we decided to visit MOMA. Neither of us had been to MOMA for years, and when we got there, there was a sign that said "closed today and every Tuesday." So we went to the Museum of Arts and Design instead, and saw this exhibit on Droog. We took a tour, and the guide was fantastic. We took the latest train home (10:45) which got into the station at 1:15. Both of us said we felt we had been teleported - we dozed sitting up for the entire ride and it seemed as if the trip only took 5 minutes!

My letter is in the Times Union today! They cut the last two paragraphs - I know space is tight and my letter was long, but I think it was either because I slam horse racing (a big no-no in the Capital District) or praise John Sweeney (it is very clear they are rooting for Gillibrand).